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20 Nigerian Slangs Among 500 New Words, Phrases in Oxford English, ‘gele’, ‘japa’, 419, others made list

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Oxford English Dictionary (EOD) has released a list of 500 new words and phrases added to the English Language lexicon.

The new words and phrases come from different countries especially from West Africa and East Asia, including Japan, Nigeria, Korea, Ghana, Philippines among many others.

Nigeria has the most influence from the African continent with 20 words and phrases while Ghana has seven new words and phrases adopted into the lexicon.

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In an introductory article authored by Lexicographer and the Executive Director of the OED, Danica Salazar, she paid tribute to two Nigerian authors, Flora Nwakpa and Ben Okri whose works introduced some of the words originating from Nigeria.

According to her, “In Nigerian cookery, suya is a dish consisting of thinly sliced pieces of spiced meat grilled or roasted on a skewer, usually sold by street vendors and eaten as a snack. Its first quotation in the OED was taken from a piece published in the literary magazine Présence Africaine, written by Nigerian author Flora Nwapa, considered to be the mother of modern African literature: ‘Will you eat suya Ona?’ Phil asked me. ‘Oh yes. I hear they have delicious suya here.’”

“Abi, another borrowing from Yoruba, is used in Nigerian English as a sentence adverb to mean clearly, obviously, of course. It is also used interrogatively, at the end of a statement, to prompt agreement, approval, or confirmation, like ‘isn’t that so?’ or ‘am I not correct?’. Its first quotation in the OED is from the 1980 novel Flowers and Shadows by Nigerian-born British poet and novelist Ben Okri: ‘If one doesn’t talk doesn’t mean one is foolish, abi’.”

Also, Nigerian linguist and consultant to OED, Kingsley Ugwuanyi who played a part in the current listing expressed excitement over the inclusion of Nigerian words and phrases into the lexicon. In a statement shared on his Linkedin page, Ugwuanyi revealed that he also played a role in the pronunciation of the new words and phrases.

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He wrote:

“I’m thrilled to announce that the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) Oxford Languages | OUP has officially published its latest updates, featuring an amazing collection of Nigerian English words that beautifully reflect Nigeria’s culture, creativity, and the unique ways we express ourselves as Nigerians.

“This time, I not only drafted most of the words but also had the incredible opportunity to provide their hashtag#pronunciations! So, when you explore the OED online and click on the pronunciations, you’ll hear my hashtag#voice bringing these words to life.”

Below is the full list of the new entries from Nigeria, Ghana, Japan and Korea:

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Ghanaian English

azonto, n.
banku, n.
burger, n.2
burger highlife, n.
galamsey, n.
galamseyer, n.
Veronica bucket, n.
Nigerian English

419, n.
abi, adv.
adire, n.
agbero, n.
area boy, n.
cross-carpeting, n.
cross-carpet, v.
gele, n.2
jand, n.
jand, v.
janded, adj.
Japa, n.
japa. v.
Naija, n. and adj.
suya, n.
to yarn dust, phrase in yarn, v.
yahoo, n.2
yahoo boy, n.
Words of Korean origin

dalgona, n.
dalgona coffee, n.
hyung, n.
jjigae, n.
maknae, n.
noraebang, n.
pansori, n.
tteokbokki, n.
Words of Japanese origin

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dorayaki, n.
furikake, n.
furoshiki, n.
gaman, n.
gaman, v.
Golden Week, n.
J-, comb._form
maneki-neko, n.
omiyage, n.
omurice, n.
sando, n.2

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SAD! APC lawmaker dies while asleep

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The lawmaker representing Kaura Namoda South Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, Aminu Ibrahim Kasuwar-Daji, has died.

It was gathered that the lawmaker passed on in his sleep during the early hours of Wednesday.

Aminu Ibrahim Kasuwar-Daji’s sudden death came as a shock to many in the state, especially his colleagues and political associates.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara, the party under which he was elected, expressed deep sorrow over his passage.

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Members of the party, including the State Working Committee and other supporters, described his death as a great loss.

They said he was known for his dedication and honesty in serving his people.

His family, community members in Kaura Namoda South, and fellow lawmakers have been thrown into mourning as preparations for his burial began.

According to Islamic rites, he was buried today at 3:00 pm in his hometown of Kasuwar-Daji, located in the Kaura Namoda Local Government Area.

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Many in the state have continued to express grief as they remember the role he played in representing the people and contributing to the work of the state assembly.

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Just in: Sam Olumekun takes over as INEC’s Acting Chairman

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Mr. Sam Olumekun has taken over at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as Acting Chairman.

Olumekun is INEC’s National Commissioner in charge of Information and Voter Education.

He performed his first duties today, receiving a high-level delegation of the Labour Party (LP) at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja with other National Commissioners in attendance.

The delegation was led by Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, who visited the Commission to discuss key developments within the Labour Party.

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It was gathered that both parties engaged in discussions centered on enhancing collaboration and reinforcing democratic values.

During the visit, Governor Otti formally presented a Certified True Copy of the recent Supreme Court judgment concerning the party’s leadership.

He noted that the meeting was aimed at fostering clarity, mutual understanding, and institutional alignment regarding the Labour Party’s current structure.

Mr. Olumekun, the Acting INEC Chairman, reaffirmed the Commission’s unwavering commitment to neutrality, transparency, and the rule of law in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.

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Recall that a viral WhatsApp message had indicated that Prof. Mahmood was sacked by President Bola Tinubu and replaced with one Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan.

“INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmud Yakubu has been replaced with Prof. Bashiru Olamilekan by President Tinubu,” the message, which had no attribution, read. However, both INEC and the Presidency debunked the widespread report.

Yakubu, who is rounding off his second tenure in office, is expected to exit the system towards the end of this year.

The process of appointing an INEC chairman is the President nominating a candidate and forwarding his particulars to the Department of State Services (DSS) for profiling.

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After such screening, the President, thereafter, takes the name to the National Council of State for its advisory review.

Based on the outcome, the President sends the name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

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Crude oil prices slide further, now selling below $57

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Crude oil prices have dropped below $57, following a previous rate of $59.78.

This decline coincides with the imposition of tariffs on several countries by US President Donald Trump.

A report from West Texas Intermediate attributes this price slump to consistent 6% reductions observed last week.

JPMorgan Chase & Co has warned that these tariffs could likely push both the US and global economies into a recession this year.

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The financial institution explained that the tariffs, set to take effect this week, are expected to have widespread economic repercussions.

Market analysts and the business community have expressed concerns about the negative implications of these measures, predicting a slowdown in economic activities and a subsequent decline in oil demand.

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